both say the bloodshed in syria must end. [ shouting ] >> video from thursday when local opposition leaders say more than 150 people were killed. this morning, though, we're learning there's talk of hope, of change, even a transitional government. why? because united nations special envoy lakhdar brahimi is in moscow today meeting with high government level officials about syrian president bashir al assad. he's been involved in a nearly two-year civil war that has seen the death of nearly 40,000 people. bring in a senior fellow at the washington institute for middle east policy. thanks for being with us. we appreciate it. let's talk about president bashar al assad's options even if he did, let's say, want to make it out hastily by syria. by some accounts i understand he wouldn't even be able to go. why is that? >> well, at this point, president assad has murdered so many of his own people, that it's difficult for him to stay within the country, even in the homeland of his sect, on the syrian coast. or for other countries to accept him, because they realize that in a post-assad syria